Leigh
by sherbsherb
Summary: Tristan comes back from military school to a different Rory. Rating is just to be cautious with language, underage drinking and mention of self-harm.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: If this is confusing, just ask questions. I hope I can manage to keep it as simple and in order as i can. Chapter will be determined by switching perspective. First chapters Tristan's POV

LEIGH

CHAPTER ONE

TRISTAN

That's not my Rory. I think to myself, watching her walk to her locker with a strange brown haired boy close at her side. My Rory didn't have scars on her beautiful face and slender wrists. My Rory would never had worn such dark make-up or died her long brown tresses black. She'd never have shortened her Chilton skirt or worn black fishnet stockings underneath. She turns to the brown haired boy, her blues eyes, somehow a darker blue than I remember, flashing as she laughs at something the boy says, and I know she is my Rory, only something has happened to her that no one, namely Paris as she was the only person from Chilton I'd talked to in my two year ban from Hartford, has bothered to tell me.

Now angry, I turn from where I had been waiting to approach Rory. I have a new objective. Find Paris and get the story of what happened to make my Mary turn into someone else entirely.

"I don't know what happened." Paris whispers. I found her in the library, purely by accident. I hadn't had enough time to hunt her down before my next class started, but lucky me, we both had study hall together. "No one knows. She disappeared same night you did, gone the rest of the year and last year too. She came back three months ago looking like that and with Jesse attached to her hip. She'll talk to me, Madeline and Louise, but if anyone else approaches, Jesse goes all watch dog. And if you ask her why she was gone or what happened, Jesse gets pissed and Rory's eyes get dark and she just walks away and you wont see her for like two weeks." she leans closer to me, as close as she can get with a round table between us. "She's not Rory any more. And not just in her attitude, she changed her name. goes by Leigh now."

I lean back into my chair, sitting in silence. I have a lot of information to absorb, and I still didn't know why my Mary was gone. I glance up when the large oak library doors open. In walks Rory followed closely by her body guard and I inhale sharply, causing Paris to look up.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

LEIGH

I notice him the second I step into the large room that was once my sanctuary. I'd heard rumors whispered through the halls all day that our king was back, but I hadn't believed them until I felt his eyes on me in the hall only minutes ago. He look good, better even. His face was more defined, he'd lost his look of childlike innocence, probably the night he'd left. His once shaggy blonde hair was buzzed short now, somehow making his ocean blue eyes even brighter. I look into those beautiful eyes, still standing ten feet away near the door with Jesse waiting patiently for me to decide something, and remember the laughter that had always been hidden in their depths, the wall that he had used to hide his feelings and protect himself. I'd seen that wall come down the night Summer dumped him, he'd seemed smaller then, almost fragile, and aging the night he said goodbye to me in the darkened hallway with Dean watching our every move. With that thought, I make my decision. Quickly I turn and walk back through the heavy doors I'd just entered, Jesse at my side.

"Home?" he asks me quietly, his hand slipping into mine.

"Beach." I answer, my emotion evident in that one word. He gently squeezes my hand and leads me down the long hall. The same hall I said goodbye to Tristan's and then later fought with Dean in. I close my eyes, remembering and a single tear runs down my cheek and drips off my chin onto the floor.

A couple of hours later I'm sitting on a log in front of a warm bonfire with Finn's arm around me and a mostly full bottle of Jack in my hand. I stare into the orange fire dimly listening to the voices of my few friends talking. It's odd sometimes to remember that these people, people who had saved me from myself, had barely known me for two years, even a year and a half ago they were strangers. Now they're the few people I talk to. I glance around at them, they all appeared to be having fun and just hanging out, but I know better. I know that all five of them are watching my every move out of the corners of their eyes. They all know how depressed I can get when something reminds me of that night, although they rarely know what causes it.

I turn my eyes back to the fires, longing to wrap myself in it's warmth. It was hard for me to feel warm inside sometimes, and I clung to the things that did. Like Jason. He was the first person to make me smile after everything happened. I met him my second day at "camp", which was just a nicer thing to say than rehab, plus, people didn't look at you like a recovering drug addict or something similar to tone, when you said camp. Then when we were both released, I wasn't ready to come home, so I went to live with Jason and brought Jesse along with me. There I met Finn, Collin, Stephanie and Logan and with their help, I was able to learn to start living again. None of that really explains why Jesse and I are so close. Jesse was the one who figured out what I was doing and tried desperately to fix me on his own, but I was beyond being made whole with just his love. By then I had needed professional help, he was the one that made Mom accept that and then he led the intervention. So, Jesse had been the one to save me from myself destruction, which I will always be incredibly thankful for, but the others, they saved my soul.

I had actually been doing really well the past month, I hadn't missed school in almost two weeks until my relapse this afternoon that is. I hadn't been expecting to react to him like I had. I was expecting the guilt, the guilt was almost constant sometimes, but I hadn't known I'd feel, glad, to see him back. For a second all I'd wanted to do was hug him, tell him how happy I was that he was back and that he looked good. Then the guilt showed up and for once I was a little thankful for it, other wise I might have made a fool of myself. The ironic thing is, I had been planning to socialize with Paris today, maybe inviter her to hang out with us.

I sit up straight, causing Finn's arm to fall from my shoulders, a thought suddenly presenting itself. Smiling to myself I stand up from the hard log I hadn't left in two hours and search through the pockets of my borrowed leather jacket. Finally locating my phone I sit back down next to Finn, who's looking at me curiously, but he's to afraid to say anything, not wanting to ruin my sudden shift in moods, and punch in a number my phone hasn't seen in a long time.

"Hey Paris." I ignore Jess, who happens to be sitting across form me, when he spits out the mouth full of whatever alcohol he'd picked to drink tonight. "What are you doing tonight? Yes this is me! Why would someone impersonate me? That's ridiculous! Paris, really now? You're starting to sound like one of those crazy people who are always saying the worlds ending. Do you want to come hang out with me and some of my friends at the beach? Yes I am serious. Bring them, we're down by the Morgan's place. Yes I'm aware of the fact that it's a private beach, I have connections. Come down and find out." I close the phone without saying goodbye, smiling to myself. This was going to be fun.

"Did you really just invite Paris Gellar to come chill with us at the beach?" Jesse asks, shock written all over his dark features.

"No." I smile coyly at him through the fire. "I invited Paris Gellar and whoever she happened to be studying with at the time."

"Leigh!" he yells, exaggerated, which causes me to start giggling. With a smile on my face I curl back up into Finn's shoulder. Yep, definitely a fun night.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: ahhh, i'm begining to love reviews. :) kylielink: Rory's story will unfold, just be patient with me. Live Laugh Love: I'm stoked your enjoying the story, it's one of my favorites too! and yes, Jesse is Jess, i had a retard moment and misspelled his name, i apologize. cowgirl8016: my hopes are that only Tristan can bring back Rory, but we'll have to see where Copper (Copper happens to be my leprecaun muse who hides in The Hole i like to crawl in during bad days and whisper things in my ears. some day's he's very cryptic with details other days he's way to forward for my liking. leaves nothing to the imagination.) takes the story. swtcheeks: sorry if your confused, feel free to ask questions, i wasn't kidding about this story confusing me sometimes, but i'll try to answer any questions that don't give away too much of the story. breathe-in3: i'm glad i could leave you speechless! XD and i'm really glad you're loving the story as much as i am. as for Jess and Paris, i haven't decided that yet. originally that was what i'd had planned, but Copper can't make up his mind now. you guys will be the first to know. as always, thank you Curley-Q for reviewing! thank you everyone i haven't mentioned for all the other reviews(tabby09; frackandbonechick; cory; and Jeremy Shane) and the encouragement. just be happy i have a huge meeting tomorrow with the ceo of our bank and haven't slept in days, or you guys would have had to wait until monday for an update. hope it lives up to some expectation and i'll have the next part up either tonight (i'm not kidding about not being able to sleep, i have to get ready for the meeting in an hour) right after this or monday. probably monday. :)

CHAPTER THREE

TRISTAN

I'm not sure which is more of a shock to me, the three people I'd least expected to be sitting around a bonfire on a deserted beach in Hartford, or watching an almost naked Rory come running out of the water, dripping wet, laughing hysterically, being chased and subsequently tackled and tickled by someone who looked suspiciously like Finn Morgan. I was suddenly insanely jealous of my friend, and not for the obvious reasons. I had never made Rory laugh like that. Never made her entire face light up or her eyes sparkle so playfully.

"Finn!" she yells through her hysteria, "Stop! I can't breath" she wiggles and struggles underneath Finn's much larger body, unable to throw him off or even make him stop.

"Say it love!" Finn replies, a smirk on his face. "Say it and I'll stop." he pauses for a moment, giving her time to say whatever the magic word is.

She catches her breath, no doubt weighing the pros and cons. "Never!" she yells, a smile stretching across her beautiful features. She squeals as Finn's large hands resume their torture.

I decide I'm tired of observing from afar, so I lead the way to the bonfire. Standing behind Logan I notice that everyone at the fire is watching the two rolling in the sand like it's an illusion, out of curiosity I turn to look at the three young ladies I came with. They too seem to be waiting for something to happen, something to disprove what they are seeing. I shake my head, turning back to the fire and laugh quietly to myself. Apparently, I have missed something massively important in my exile to military school. Speaking of military school, I glance down at the back of Logan's head an idea presenting itself. I take a step back, and in my most commanding voice, yell. "Attention!" I can't stop the laughter rolling out of me when Collin and Logan bolt upright, and stand at attention for a full thirty seconds before they remember they're not in military school anymore. In unison they turn to glare at me. It doesn't take them long to realizes who I am and they both scramble over their logs to greet me.

"Dugrey!" Logan says, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a half hug. "What the hell are you doing here man?"

"I should be asking you that." I answer him as I go through the same greeting with Collin. "What happened to Yale?"

He looks to Collin, asking a silent question, deciding what he should tell me. After a pause he answers, his grin never once leaving his face. "We all decided to take a year off. What about you, I thought you were bound for military school until graduation."

"They let me out on good behavior." I tell him, rolling my eyes. We all know the only reason my prick of a father would bring me home prematurely was for the sake of his image. I almost regret that I had reformed in military school.

They chuckle, both knowing exactly what I'm talking about. I hear Paris clear her throat behind me and I remember some of the manners I'd retained from my numerous nannies. Turning to motion the three girls forward I introduce my two groups of friends. "Paris, Maddy, Louise these are two of the numbskulls I went to military school with. We've got Logan and Collin. The guy rolling in the sand over there is Finn and I'm assuming the newly brunette sitting over there with Jesse, whom I've never met, not bothering to come hug me after somewhere around three years is Steph." I say jokingly, walking around the fire to stand in front of the aforementioned beauty.

"Hey Tris." she says in greeting, standing from her log to hug me. "How've you been?" she asks, pulling out of my arms to gesture for Jess to stand.

"I've been good. Not quite sure whether or not I'm happy to be home." answer seriously, turning slightly to acknowledge Jess. "Jess, right. I wasn't wrong in my assumption was I?" I ask him kidding.

He chuckles lightly. "Yeah, I'm Jess."

"It's nice to meet you." I put my right hand out.

"You too." he says, grabbing my hand and shaking it firmly twice before letting go. He doesn't seem the type of person these guys would normally hang with, but then again neither was Rory, or Leigh.

"Hey Dugrey!" Collin yells at me, getting my attention from across the flames.

"Yeah?" I yell over my shoulder.

"Come here a second will ya? We need you to referee." I nod at Jess and Steph, before walking back to where I'd left the girls with Collin and Logan. It appears Paris and Logan had gotten into an argument about a newspaper article in the two minutes I'd been gone.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

LEIGH

"Finn, next time I want to go skinny dipping in October, remind me how cold it will be when we get out." I mumble against his neck as he carries me piggy-back style back to the blazing fire. I can hear Paris and Jess talking, or yelling in Paris' case, over my chattering teeth.

"Not a problem love." Finn says, his jaw clenched. "Cold and covered in sand isn't exactly how I enjoy spending my nights with scantily clad women."

"Hey!" I protest, my face still nestled between his bare shoulder and neck. "I never told you to roll us around in the sand until it was wedged into every crevice. That was all your doing."

"All you had to do was say it muffin." he informs me. We've reached our designated logs at the fire now and Finn gently swings me from his back to stand in front of him with the fire warming my back.

"Finn." I say rubbing sand off my bare arms. "I will never surrender and say those words." turning away from him I close my eyes and revel in the heat from the fire.

"I'll get you to someday." he tells me, wrapping his comforting arms around my waist and pulling me so my back rest against his chest.

"As long as you never stop trying." I lean my head against his shoulder, a double meaning in my words.

"'Till the day I die love." he assures me, kissing the top of my head. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go say hello to Trissy and introduce myself to the three young ladies that must have arrived while you were having your lovely way with me." I laugh as he pulls away from me and makes his way around the fire to where I now see Maddy and Louise are talking to Logan and Steph.

My laughter dies in my throat when I realize who the other figure standing next to Logan is. I'm actually surprised I hadn't felt his eyes on me sooner. He's beautiful with his fitted black t-shirt and low slung designer jeans, even through the distortion of the smoke I can see the way the shirt forms to his chest. He greets Finn as though they're old friends and I wonder how they know each other and if he knows Finn, does he know Logan, Collin, Steph and Jason. Then I wonder where my clothes have gotten to. Even with the heat form the fire, standing on the beach wearing only my black boy shorts and matching bra in October is cold.

"Jess." I yell, getting his attention away from his conversation with Paris. "What happened to my clothes?"

He shakes his head and smiles. "What, you catch a case of modesty all of the sudden?"

"Nah!" I assure him jokingly. "Just cold. Besides, there's only four people here who haven't seen me in all my glory. I need to keep some of my mystique."

He laughs again and points to the blanket the cooler is sitting on. Sure enough, balled up next to my half empty bottle of Jack, lay my clothes with Jason's leather jacket and Finn's forgotten pants and shirt. I make my way to the abandoned clothing, thankful Steph had talked us out of going in the water fully dressed. I stand there holding my pants in my hands, trying to decide if I should put them on over my wet under things, or if I should go commando. "Finny or Logan, possibly Jess. Honestly I don't care who, but I need one of you over here." I yell over my shoulder, dropping my pants back into the sand and pulling the blanket out from under the cooler.

"Yeah babe." I turn around, holding the blanket out to Jess.

"I need you to hold this while I change." I tell him.

"Why?" he asks confused, but takes the blanket non the less, and holds it up creating a barrier between me and everyone else.

"I'm not sure Paris is ready to see me completely naked." I answer, stepping out of my wet underwear and putting on my dry and surprisingly warm pants. "In fact, I don't' think I'm ready for Paris to see me naked." Jess laughs at me while I finish dressing and he drops the blanket back in the sand next to the cooler as I pull Jason's jacket over my shoulders. It's huge on my small frame, but it still smells like him, a mixture of his cologne and tobacco, which I always find odd because he doesn't smoke. My favorite smell in the world and I'd found it hard to separate with it. Hence why I have it here and he's stuck with some plain ol' jean jacket back in North Carolina. "Now." I announce to the group of people gathered around the fire holding up my bottle. "Lets gets smashed. Cause it was a fairly good day and we're not going to ruin it by letting me over think tonight!" and to the cheers of my closest friends, I take a nice healthy swig.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you guys for the revies yet again and for not giving up on the story. updates might be getting a little further in between simply because i've come up against a nemesis i like to call writers block, but me and copper are working on tearing it down brick by brick and i split this chapter in two so this update and the next are both in Tristan's pov. Curly-Q: thank you for the review, i love hearing what you've got to say and how you analyze the chapters, it helps with the writters block sometimes to have others remind you where you're going with this story. Breath-in3: i love that you love Rory and Finn too. i always felt that they had an unexplored friendship on the show, don't they just seem like they would go together well? and i'm glad you like Rory, i've grown fond of her as well. to be fair, i uploaded chapter three and chapter four about half an hour apart, so you weren't too far behind me :) copper is starting to warm up to the Paris/Jess idea, but we're still working on it, give me time, i will wear him down. he's a stuborn little lebrecaun but i love him none the less. he's gotten me though many a boring situations XD. and thank you Jeremy Shane and Kemowitch92 for the reviews as i like to say, any encouragement is awesome encouragement. and i'm updating as quickly as i can. i'm also a little stuck on my other Trory Coming Home, but for those of you who happen to be reading it as well as Leigh, i'm hurrying on both accounts. i actually have half of the next Coming Home chapter written, but i've decided to rewrite it. i know, horrible timing and i appologize. okay i've rambled on enough, i hope you enjoy this chapter and the next will be up as soon as i have time to get it typed up. :)

CHAPTER FIVE

TRISTAN

"Amphetamines and jelly beans! She was pretty in her teens. Waiting for the month of come what may, I smelled you on my shirt today!" I can't help but laugh at Finn and Rory, Leigh, clutching each other and singing Eve 6 as loud as they could. It was a good thing this was Finn's beach. Rory, damn it! Leigh, was beyond drunk, which in itself had been an amusing journey for me, even from afar, seeing as she had kept her distance all night even as she lost her inhibitions, but I'm pretty sure Finn was perfectly sober, he just liked to sing already bad songs even more badly. They collapse in a heap of laugher together in the sand as they finish their duet to a round of applause.

Finn snakes Rory's bottle from her as she goes to take a drink. "Finn." she pouts, reaching for the bottle he holds above his head out of her reach.

"Muffin. You know when you start singing bad pop songs we have to cut you off." he explains patiently, handing the bottle to Logan, who pours it out into the sand next to him. I glance around to notice that the other people who had been drinking, namely Collin, Steph and Jess, are also dumping their drinks, and watching Leigh closely.

She sighs, giving up. "Fine." curling up into his side, she closes her eyes. "I guess I'll thank you in the morning."

"It's actually more for our sake." he tells her, receiving a smack to the chest he chuckles.

"Meany head."

"Yep."

Standing abruptly she smirks down at him before taking off at a run in the direction of his house leaving him sitting in the sand looking bewildered. "It's a good think I know where Jason's secret stash is!" she yells over her shoulder, her long black hair trailing behind her.

All three boys utter a collective "Shit." before taking off after her. Looking at the others left behind, I decide to follow at a slower pace, leaving the girls to take care of the fire.

I arrive in the house in time to hear a door slam, followed by a fairly quiet, "Damn it." I find the four boys standing outside the guest bathroom door, behind which Leigh has apparently locked herself.

"Why's he have a picture of her!" she yells through the door.

"I don't know why Leigh. Please come out so we can talk face to face." Finn answers her, leaning against the door frame.

"No!" she yells

"Picture of who?" I ask Logan, who's leaning against the wall across from the bathroom.

"Rory." he tells me, handing me Rory's school picture from sophomore year.

"This is her." I state confused. Why wasn't someone allowed to have a picture of her?"It's a whole big scytzo thing, maybe I'll explain later." he gestures to the door. "Right now we've got to get her out of there before she hurts herself."

"Baby," Finn coaxes her through the door, using a gentle, patient voice I've never heard before. "It's just a picture of you a couple of years ago."

"That is not me!" she yells at him. "She died the same night… she's dead!"

"Will you come out here and talk to me?" he asks. "Hell, come out here and yell at us. We'll even call J and you can yell at him, just open the door."

Suddenly she yanks the door open and the person standing there is someone I've never met before. Her face is filled with rage, tears are streaming down her face and her fists are clenched tightly at he sides.. "Don't you ever compare me to her again! She was a perfect goody goody. She never would have missed school. She never went to rehab. She didn't have these scars on her face and neck." she gestures to the scars hidden behind her long hair, her face getting more read wit anger every second. "She never would have cut herself." with this statement she throws the small razor blade I hadn't noticed her holding, into the bathroom behind her. "She never would have killed her best friend or even contemplated suicide. She's dead." she seems to have lost al of her rage, which seemed to be the only thing keeping her on her legs, as she collapse into Finn's outstretched arms. "She, she… she had everything." she's sobbing in Finn's arms, and he puts his arm behind her knees sweeping her feet off the ground. Solemnly he carries her down the hall to where I remember his room being.

All of this happened in only a matter of minutes and my brain is suddenly working overtime to categorize and understand everything I'd just heard. I need to sit down before I forget how to stand. In a daze I make my way to the living room, barely noticing Jess and Collin following me, and I drop into one of the brown suede laz-e-boys.

"You okay Tris?" Collin asks, sitting across from me on the love seat with Jess on the other end, both watching me closely. "You look a little pale."

I shake my head, trying to clear some of the clutter. "Yeah." I answer, still distracted. "Is Mare," I shake my head again, I hadn't meant to let the nick name slip, but with the confusion I had regressed to the one name I'd always called her. "I mean Leigh, is she gonna be okay?"

"She'll be okay, but Finn's going to have to keep his eyes on her all night." he assures me, with a question of his own written on his face. I'm sure he's just trying to figure out why my slip of the tongue sounded familiar. Eventually he'll remember my constant talk of Mary in military school. Until then I'm going to sit, sort my thoughts, and worry about her. "That's the reason we cut her off. She tends to go into a deep depression if she drinks passed the singing stage. She would have been find if she hadn't found that picture in Jason's room." turning to Jess he asks, "What the hell is he even doing with that, he of all people should know how she gets."

Jess simply shrugs. "I don't know, but if Finn hadn't gotten her to open that door and she hurt herself, I wouldn't hesitate to put him in the hospital."

"I would have helped you." Collin nods his head at Logan as he walks into the room and sits in the other matching laz-e-boy next to me. "You get everything?"

"Yeah." he answers, his voice tired and a little shaky. "All sharp objects are locked away. I'm never going to get used to that." he lays his head against the back of the chair and closes his eyes.

"Me either." Collin agrees.

"It terrifies me every time she locks a door." Logan continues. "I don't know how you handled it for so long on your own Jess."

"I wonder how sometimes myself." if at all possible, Jess looks even more tired than Logan.

"What happened?" I ask, still a little stunned, but I need to know.

"That's something only she can tell you." Finn's emotional voice answers from behind my chair.

"How she doing?" Jess asks, sitting forward on the he couch, his head in his hands.

"She cried herself to sleep." Finn answers laying on the floor next o my chair. "With as much as she had to drink, she's going to be dead to the world for a while." He sighs, exhausted. "I may have to lynch my little brother." he moves as if to get up, then lays back down. "Tomorrow."

I look up toward the door in the kitchen that leads out to the beach when I hear foot steps on the back porch. A second later the girls file into the kitchen with Steph in the lead carrying the forgotten cooler. "Really guys," she says sarcastically as she sit's the large, probably heavy, object down on the white and black tile floor. "We got it, don't get up."

"Thanks Steph." Finn grunts from the floor, causing her to finally look at us.

"What happened?" she asks, slightly panicked by our ash white expressions. "Is she okay?"

"She's sleeping." Jess answers her as she walks into the room, Louise, Paris and Maddy following close behind, confusion written across their features. "Jason on the other hand may loose an extremity."

The girls make themselves comfortable sitting and in Steph's case laying on the living room floor.

"So what set it off this time?" she asks from her position on the floor next to Finn.

"She found a picture of herself in J's room." Finn explains, his eyes closed exhaustion and worry still in his voice and written all over his face.

"Did she…?" she asks the open ended question, probably not wanting to let Paris, Louis or Maddy know what Leigh is capable of .

"No." Collin answers. "Finn pissed her off enough we got her out of the bathroom before the real damage was done. It was a close call though."

"I'm definitely going to have words with the little Morgan when he gets here." Logan tells the room, "but until hen, I'm going to bed." He stands from the chair and steps over the people scattered on the floor, making his way to the part of the house the guest rooms are in. "Let me know if you need me to take a watch." he says over his shoulder.

"Will do." Finn answers. With a deep breath, he too gets to his fee. "I need to go check on her." he tells Steph. "You guys are more than welcome to stay." he nods to the three girls sitting quietly around the living room. Now that I think about it, they'd been really quiet all night, except for their short conversation with Finn and Paris' fight with Jess, they'd spent most of their time observing. Which for them was incredibly weird. "Trissy knows where there's empty rooms. Just avoid Jason's if you happen to be in his bed when he comes pouring in, he wont care who you are, he'll make himself comfortable. Then you're going to have to deal with angry hung-over Leigh which is so much worse than depressed hung-over Leigh."

"Thanks." Louise speaks, standing from the floor, followed by Maddy. "But I think we're going to go home."

"it was nice meeting all of you." Maddy says making her way to the front door. "Are you coming Paris?"

"I think I'll stay." she says, slightly shocked by her own answer.

"Alright, see you Monday." Maddy says, confused, before exiting the beach house.


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: SO I JUST REALIZED, ALREADY FIVE CHAPTERS IN, THAT I HAVE YET TO POST THE DISCLAIMER. SEEING AS I DON'T WANT TO PISS OFF THOSE RICHER AND FAR MORE SUPERIOR I WILL SAY RIGHT NOW, THAT AS MUCH AS I WISH I COULD HAVE THESE CHARATERS LOCKED AWAY IN A CLOSET TO ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE MY MUSE COPPER, I DO NOT OWN GILMORE GILRS OR ANY AFFILATIONS. ALTHOUGH I WILL LAY CLAIM TO JASON, HE'S ALL MINE. AND THE SONG THAT RORY AND FINN SING IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, "AMPHETAMINES" IS THE PROPERTY OF THE INGENOOUS MEMBERS OF EVE6, WHO WITHOUT I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO WRITE THIS STORY. YES I REALIZE THAT THEIR ALBUM "HOROSCOPE" HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH THIS STORY, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKING OF COPPERS BRAIN SO I SIMPLY GO WITH IT.

A/N: I apologize to all those that are still with me on this one, but here is that update I promised you sooo many days ago. And once again I want to thank all who reviewed. Breath-in3: glad you liked that little break down, I'm pleased to report that I just finished writing another little Rory/Leigh breakdown that I'm really proud of, unfortunately it won't be ready for a while though. And I'm excited to explain her story but I don't want you biting you nails, it's a horrible habit that we should break together. Curley-Q: I like to let it slip a little bit at a time and then have it all come together at once, it makes things more interesting. Thank you to all those others who reviewed: PheobeTheQueenofDragons, Jeremy Shane, Kemowitch92, and Linzee13. I welcome you all back and even though this is just a continuation of chapter five, I promise the next chapter (which is already finished and waiting to be put on the computer) there will finally be some Leigh Tristan interaction. Okay, hope you all enjoy! XD

CHAPTER FIVE

PART TWO

TRISTAN

Two hours later finds me alone in the room with Jess, the two of us carrying on a decent conversation.

"So my mom decided she couldn't handle me any more and sent me to Stars Hollow to be straitened out by my uncle Luke." he'd been telling me his life story, which I'd surprisingly enough, enjoyed hearing.

"How'd you meet Leigh?" I ask, genuinely curious about their relationship.

He chuckles to himself. "She ended up being the person to save me from my self destructive habits." He tells me. "She kicked my ass into shape. Made me go to school and actually do the homework. She kept me out of trouble just by being my friend, which pissed the Beav off to no end." His face breaks into a huge grin and I can't help but remember how much fun it had always been to see the beanstalk turn red with rage, knowing full well Rory would never let him do anything to hurt me, no matter how much I might have deserved it. "Word of warning." His voice breaks into my day dream, filled with a seriousness I hadn't expected from him. Looking in his eyes, I can tell this is something I need to know. "Don't ever mention Dean or Lane to her, unless you want to see what could have happened int hat bathroom tonight." I nod my head, wondering for the ten millionth time today, just what the hell had happened to Rory.

"Can I ask you?" I ask jokingly, to gage his response.

"Sure." He answers , and then continues when I open my mouth to actually ask him. "but I wont tell you. It's Leigh's story, not mine. To tell you the truth, out of the six people she calls friends, I think Jason and I are the only two that know what really happened. Honestly, I only know because I lived through it, and I think Jason knows because they would make her talk about it in group." Jess tells me, a thoughtful look on his face. He shrugs, looking back at me and away from the window behind me he had been staring at. "I could be wrong, she could have told them. We don't talk about it, prefer to try and help her put it behind herself."

"Okay." I say distracted. I'm not sure I can live with not knowing what happened to the brilliant star that was Rory Gilmore. I refocus my attention on Jess. "So how'd you get involved with this crew? No offense, but your not the type of person they usually hang with it. But then again neither is Leigh."

"I know what you mean." He chuckles a little. "I wasn't happy when Leigh started hanging with them, but I had a choice. Lose her like so many others had, or adapt and get along with them. They didn't exactly greet me with open arms, but they know what the consequences of pushing me out would be. Eventually we became really close. They're my family now too." He explains, his eyes closed. "It's kind of morbid that we all grew so close out of our total incapacitating fear of loosing her. So how do you know the guys?" he asks me after a minute of silence.

I chuckle quietly before I begin. "Well, middle of my sophomore year I got really stupid," because Rory said she hated me. "and after several mishaps, my loving parents decided to ship me off to military school where they would no longer have to deal with my hijinks." Jess was looking at me with an amused half smile on his face. "My first day there, I'm bunked with a bunch of junior guys cause all the sophomore tents are full. I'm thinking 'great, not only am I the new guy, I'm also in with the older kids, this is gonna be fun.' turned out I was wrong. My new bunkmates happened to be the three coolest guys in school. We bonded, we pranked and then, and year and a half later, they graduated.""So what kind of trouble did you get into in military school?" Jess asks, curiosity in his voice.

"Ahh, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you. And that can get messy. I mean depending on how I did it, there's the matter of clean up and disposal. Then I gotta create a believable alibi." I sigh, exhausted simply by the thoughts. "I just don't have the energy."

Jess laughs, thoroughly entertained. "Alright, I'll let you keep your secrets, but only cause I don't feel like dying tonight." he glances down at his watch and shakes his head before looking at the door behind me. "Or should I say morning. It's three o'clock, where the hell is Jason?"

As if on cue, I hear a key turn in the lock behind me and turn to look at the opening door. The guy that enters, obviously trying to be quiet, is an almost exact replica of Finn. He's slightly taller and his hair is longer, but other than slight differences in his facial construction, he could have passed as Finn's twin. After taking his key out of the lock and closing the door as quietly as possible he turns and finally notices me and Jess sitting there. "Evening mates." He greets us with a smile, but on closer examination of Jess, the smile quickly falls from his face. "Crikey, she alright?" it amazes me just how fast they all pick up on the bad vibes, and instinctively know it's Leigh.

"Where'd you get the picture?" Jess asks, his fist clenching on the arm of the couch.

"Shit." the man exclaims, running his hand through his already disheveled hair. "Lorelai gave it to me last time she came to visit. I meant to get rid of it, must have forgot." with a sigh he drops the duffle bag I hadn't noticed next to the couch and drops down next to Jess, clearly exhausted. "She alright?" he asks again, his eyes closed.

"Yeah." Jess answers, his voice sounding as tired as the man seemed to be and his fist relaxing again. "She's sleeping with Finn. You better take her with you to your room." the man nods.

"Who's the guy?"

Jess laughs quietly. "Tristan Dugrey. Tristan this is Jason Morgan. The guy we have to thank for our little scare."

Jason nods in my direction without opening his eyes. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." I speak for the first time since before you walked through the door.

With another sigh, he stands from the couch taking his duffle bag with him. "Better go get her and go to bed. It'll be a day with her hung-over, depressed and pissed off at me."Jess smiles at him before he disappears down the same hall Finn had gone down hours ago. "I'm going to head on back too. You need any help finding somewhere to crash?" he asks me, standing from the couch.

"Nah, I know this place almost better than my own." I tell him and he nods before following Jason down the hall, leaving me in the sudden silence.

I sit in my chair and think about everything that had transpired today, only my first day back. I compare first the Rory I had left standing in her Juliet costume to the girl I found in the hall this morning. Then I think about how that girl, Leigh, could light up with laughter around her closest friends and still be surrounded by a darkness she seemed to carry on her shoulders at all times. Seeming as if she dropped it, she would have failed at something, something no one else seemed to know about. I think about how Logan, Collin, and mostly Finn and Jess where always watching her, even when they were having a conversation. I think about how as the night wore on, I realized they don't just watch her every move, they adjust their positions when she did, they stood when she sat and when she stood, they would tense, almost as if they were expecting something bad to happen. I can't imagine the girl I'd known being able to do anything that would have a group of guys so protective and aware of her every thought. Then I remember her words thrown at Finn in anger. "She never would have killed her best friend or even contemplated suicide!"

"what the hell happened?" I wonder out loud, shocked by the words now echoing through my head.

A/N sorry if I offended but I know nothing about Australian accents or their profanity or slang.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: It appears to be that time again, the time where i graciously thank all seven of you who have reviewed my latest chapter :) chezzybabe: glad i didn't offend you, but unfortunetly the crikey that managed to slip in, was actually a bit of my personality sneaking it's way in. i've developed an incredibly horrible habit of saying crikey and i'm not sure where i picked it up from. the mysteries of my mind... but thank you for the tips, i'll be sure to remember them as i'm writting the next chapter. breathe-in3: i'm pleased to announce that copper has come to a decision regarding the paris/jess situation. the hint will be in the next chapter, i know darn suspense, but i didn't want to dilute the tristan/leigh scene more than i had to. i like to believe that while tristan was on the show, as big of an ass as he was, he was very aware of rory and all of her little quirks. i'm glad you like Tristan's POV, sometimes it's a little hard for me to write him, but i'll keep pushing on, the story would be too hard to tell from just her POV. thank you to everyone else who reviewed, every little bit helps XD: PheobeTheQueenofDragons, Jeremy Shane, Curley-Q and Treenuh. and than you all for returning and following the story. if it weren't for the few reviews i get, i'd be stuck sitting in the whole pestering copper to tell me what happens next. i have days were i actually reread some of my stories and get all excited about whats going to happen and then have the horribly sad moment when i realize, i'm the one that has to finish it and my wanted to know the ending sometimes just isn't enough motivation. okay, i'm done rambling now.

ALRIGHT GENTLE VIEWERS (HEE HEE, I MISS ANDREW, WASN'T HE THE GREATEST. AND IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU GET TEN POINTS!) HERE IS THE FIRST LEIGH TRISTAN FACE TO FACE INTERACTION. NOT A LOT OF ACTUAL ACTION, BUT STILL IT BETTER THAN NOTHING. ENJOY!

CHAPTER SIX

LEIGH

I lay nestled in my warm cocoon, Finn's arm holding me tightly to him, trying to piece together everything that happened last night. I remember Tristan coming back to school and the bonfire. I remember inviting Paris and Maddy, Louise and Tristan arriving with her. I remember having fun and singing a couple of duets with Finn and then my mind goes blank. Leading me to believe I was better off not knowing.

After laying there in bed with my eyes closed, the delicious scent of coffee reaches my nose and I slowly open my tired, and for some reason, puffy eyes to realize I'm not in Finn's room. Sitting up much much faster than I should have causing the world to tilt swiftly to the right, I look at the gorgeous boy fast asleep behind me. His shaggy hair is crazy wild from his pillow and his mouth is slightly open, causing him to snore lightly. I smile down at Jason, fighting the urge to touch him and run the risk of waking him up. Remembering the reason my eyes are open, I gently crawl out of his bed and seeing that I'm still dressed in my clothes from the night before I grab one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers out of the open duffel bag at the foot of his bed, dress, and sneak out of his room and down the hall. I wonder for a moment who is actually up at this hour, seeing as everyone else I know isn't aware the world exists before noon.

As I get closer to the kitchen I can make out the smell of bacon and toast and I pick up my pace, excited by the enticement of a home cooked breakfast. Turning the corner I'm stopped dead in my tracks by the sight that greets me. Tristan is standing at the stove with his back to me still in his jeans from the night before and a black undershirt, leaving his glorious arms uncovered for me to admire freely.

I stand in the hallway trying to decide whether or not I should continue into the kitchen or sneak back to Jason's room. "You know that coffee is just calling your name." his voice startles me, I hadn't realized he'd noticed me, he hadn't turned away from the sizzling bacon. "Just sit down and eat, we don't have to talk or anything." he finally turns towards me with a plate full of food and a steaming cup of coffee. The sight of the scrambled eggs has me taking a seat at the breakfast bar in front of the plate. Tristan chuckles as I dig in and turns back to make his own plate.

After turning everything off Tristan takes a seat next to me and we eat in a comfortable silence that is new for me. It's been a very long time since I've been okay just sitting in silence, with anyone. Even alone I have to have some kind of a background noise. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye and I have to appreciate his beauty. He'd obviously been up long enough to have showered, his hair still looked wet, before he made breakfast. I was mesmerized by his hair. It always looked so soft and touchable, even when he'd put product in it. Subconsciously I run my hand through my own ratty locks and miss my brown hair suddenly. I'd dyed it about a year ago needing to feel in control of something and I'd just kept it that way simply to help myself distinguish in a way that I controlled that I was someone new. Maybe I'll dye it back to my natural color Monday. I turn my head back to look at him and notice he's staring at me.

"Why are you staring?" I feel myself blush and I turn back to my near empty plate.

"Not staring." he answers me. "Just taking in the sights."

I shake my head hiding behind a curtain of my hair, and smile a little. I finish off my coffee and stand to get a refill. I can feel his eyes on me as I move around the kitchen and it surprises me that I doesn't make me feel uncomfortable. I turn to offer him a refill and my words catch in my throat. He's smiling at me. I don't think that in all the time I've known him, I've ever seen a real smile. I've seen him smirk and I've watched him charm, but I have never seen an honest smile. I shake my head lightly and swallow to clear the lump that has risen in my throat. "More?" my voice is softer than I had intended, but he doesn't give any indication that he noticed.

"Sure." he answers me before he finally looks away to glance at the paper I hadn't noticed on the counter next to him. I put the coffee pot back and snag more bacon and another slice of toast before I return to my seat next to him, resuming our comfortable silence. After we both finish eating he hands me the first part of the paper and we sit there together for a good half hour before a door opens and closes somewhere in the house.

I laugh as Jason blindly makes his way into the kitchen and falls into the chair on my other side and drops his head loudly on the counter top. "Caffeine." he mumbles into the granite, causing Tristan to laugh at him. I ruffle Jason's already messy hair and go get him a cup of the still hot coffee. He sits up as I put the cup in front of him and I put my elbows on the counter and rest my chin in my hand, studying him as he savors the nectar of the gods. He'd made his love for coffee known at our first group session, the first day we met. We were pretty inseparable from then on.

I remember I'd already been terrified having just arrived an hour earlier and it only got worse when they'd told me that I had my first meeting that day as well, eight a.m. I was sitting in a white room with four other people when Jason came through the door loudly expressing his intense dislike of the "idiot" who had decided that they should schedule anything that didn't involve sleeping before noon. I couldn't help but giggle at him, the sound escaping my lips startling not just me but the other occupants as well.

Jason glanced at me as he poured himself a cup of, I kid you not, the worst tasting coffee in the world, before making his way around the circle of chairs to place himself next to me. "Good morning beautiful." He greeted me. "Names Jason." He extended his hand to me, introducing himself.

I hesitated for a second before I grasped his hand and shook it. "Leigh." I told him, deciding then that he would never know Rory.

He smiled at me in a way that made me feel safe, something I hadn't felt in months. "Nice to meet you Love." I noticed his accent then and knew that had I been in a better state mentally, I would have swooned over this gorgeous slice of Australian man.

After group that day he showed me around the beautiful grounds I would be calling my "home" for the next six weeks. I know now that if it hadn't been for Jason's support, I wouldn't have made it out of there.

I'd been so into my own thoughts I didn't notice Jason and Tristan were talking, about what I couldn't tell you. I straighten up gaining both men's attention, and walk around the counter to kiss Jason on the cheek. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

Jason grins at me, the wheels in his head turning. "Would you like some company?" I simply laugh and shake my head before turning away from them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: just thought I should remind you guys that I still don't own Gilmore Girls.

**A/N**: Just a couple shout outs to the few who reviewed and an apology about how long this is taking. Copper gets so easily distracted by other story lines, but he does always return to the originals. There may be a lot of irritating things about him, but he always finishes what he starts. Granted it's always on his time and with disregard to all others… I digress, shout outs: **Nygrl**- I'm glad you're enjoying the story, of all the ones I'm currently working on it's my favorite. I have every intention of Leigh telling Tristan everything that happened. And as much as I love Lorelia, I just can't seem to write her so she will make an appearance or two, they will probably be short but it will explain why Leigh is living in a house full of guys instead of with her own mother. J **breath-in3**- I'm glad you loved the interaction, I'm actually pretty proud of it myself and I can't wait to write more of it. As for Jason, can Rory really ever be friends with someone who didn't love coffee? Although Copper has made a decision on the Paris Jesse conundrum, he hasn't decided just when he's going to reveal his decision to the rest of us, so keep hoping with me. A lot of my stories are one POV just so that I don't end up going "Huh? When did that happen? Who is this again. Crap, I think I just invented a new character." **frankandbonechick**- I'm glad you love my baby too! **Jeremy Shane**- once again thank you for the encouragement, always always appreciated. That goes for you too **Curly-Q **and **PhoebeTheQueenofDragons**, it makes me happy you guys keep coming back for more. Alright, here's the next installment of Leigh!

Tristan

Jason and I make small talk for a few minutes while the rest of the house slowly makes their way one by one into the kitchen, lured in by the smell of my cooking. Finn stumbles into the kitchen with only one eye open and falls on to the stool Leigh had been sitting in earlier. "Why the bloody hell is everyone awake at…" He glances at the clock above the kitchen sink and cringes. "eleven o'clock in the morning?"

"I blame Tristan." Jason informs him, looking accusingly at me. "If he hadn't gotten up so early and made coffee, I would still be curled up next to the lovely Leigh. Instead I'm sitting here in a kitchen talking to you people." I have to laugh at the displeasure in his teasing voice.

Finn glares at me over Jason and I laugh even harder. "I'm sorry." I apologize, throwing my hands up in surrender. "Military school ingrained the five a.m. wake up call in me. No matter how hard I try, I just can't sleep past seven."

"We're so gonna have to break you of that." Logan informs me standing on the opposite side of the bar, eating what appears to be a bacon and egg toast sandwich.

"Unless you promise to make food like this every morning." Steph says, making her own plate of breakfast foods. I just shake my head and grin, then notice Paris standing in the kitchen unnoticed and looking completely out of her element. Before I can say anything, Jesse approaches her with a plate of food and a cup of fresh coffee. I smile at the blush that makes a visit to her cheeks as she thanks him and then follows him out onto the deck.

"Where is the lovely Leigh at anyway?" Finn asks Colin, who hands him a mug of coffee.

"Shower." Jason answers him.

"Ahh." Finn responds, taking a drink before turning to face Jason. "What the hell little brother! What the hell!" He asks Jason, some of his anger from the night before seeping into his voice.

Jason takes a deep breath before answering. "I'm sorry. Lore gave it to me when she visited last and I forgot about it. Which I know was completely irresponsible. How bad was it?"

"It could have been much worse." Finn sighs, obviously replaying the previous nights events. "What took you so long anyway? Thought you were gonna be here at like nine?" Finn asks him, changing the subject.

"Mom made me stay for some dinner party the Grand's were having." Jason explains. "Said if I was going to be gone for the next couple of weeks I had to fulfill at least one obligation." He cringes. "They tried to set me up with Jenny Miller, again."

Finn laughs at his brothers pain. "Serves you right. I had to put up with it for years while you were off being incompetent and irresponsible." Now it's Finn's turn to cringe as he remembers all the horrible parties he had attended, just like the rest of us. "Okay, I have to ask before she finishes her shower." Finn says, returning to the original topic. "How was she?"

"She seemed fine to me," Jason answers. "I mean I wasn't here last night so I have no idea how bad the fallout should be, but she didn't seem to be in one of her moods."

"Well, who did see her this morning?" Finn asks the room.

I raise my hand slightly. "I did."

Finn raises an eye brow at me. "You saw her this morning? Like she came in here and talked to you and stuff?"

"Well she came in and we had a nice quiet breakfast and then Jason came in and she went to take a shower." I tell him, shrugging a little.

"She saw you in the kitchen, willingly sat down to eat breakfast with you, and she did it all in a companionable silence?" Finn asks me his voice incredulous.

I nod my head. "Pretty much, yeah." I look around the kitchen at the astonished faces looking back at me. "Why, is that a bad thing?"

Finn looks at me a moment longer before shaking his head at me. "No, that's not a bad thing, just not something that ever happens with her. She doesn't usually put herself in situations with people who aren't, well us. And she hates silence, she's always got to have some kind of noise, whether it's a conversation, a TV or just some music. She hates silence anymore, hates having time to think." Finn explains to me.

"Huh." I say, unintelligently.

"Anyway, guess I have to ask you." he says, pulling my attention back to him. "How did she seem?"

"She seemed fine." I tell him shrugging my shoulders.

"Did she seem upset or depressed or anything like that?" He says, asking me to elaborate.

"She seemed tired but other than that I don't know. She didn't seem upset about anything that happened last night. If anything she almost acted as though she didn't seem to remember it." I tell him, thinking back on this morning.

"Well then, maybe we wont have any problems with her this morning." Logan says from where he's leaning against the stove near the food. "If she doesn't remember what happened then all we have to deal with is tired Leigh, instead of embarrassed and depressed Leigh. I'd prefer the former."

"Ah crap!" Collin exclaims as he notices the time on the clock above the sink. Dropping his dish in the sink he turns to the rest of the room. "We gotta go. We have our weekly family luncheon in half an hour." He tells them, pointing to the clock that reads 11:30.

"Shit." Finn and Jason mutter at the same time before rushing out of the kitchen back to their rooms, followed swiftly by Collin, Logan and Stephanie, leaving me alone in the kitchen once more. I sit and watch Jess and Paris talk on the deck until everyone comes back out of their rooms almost simultaneously and with several rushed goodbyes to me and through the doors to Jess and Paris, leave the house in Finn's SUV. I get up to start cleaning up the food mess in the kitchen and about twenty minutes later Jess and Paris come back inside and hand me their empty coffee cups.

"Hey Tristan." Jess greets me with a nod of his head. "I'm going to take Paris home on my way to Stars Hollow. Those guys get to have their family luncheons every Saturday and I get to head home to spend the day helping Luke with the dinner. It's for 'bonding'." He shrugs.

I laugh quietly at him. "Well have fun."

"I always do. If nothing else I get to bug Luke all day which is always a bonus and if I'm nice enough I get tips once and awhile. Will you still be here tonight or are you going to your own home?" Jess says, a smirk on his face.

I shrug. "Not sure. I might stop by there to grab clothes or something but given the choice, I'd rather stay here."

"Then maybe I'll see you tonight, if not I'm sure I'll see you at some point during the next week of school."

I nod and offer him a hand shake before smiling at Paris. "See you later Paris."

"Bye Tristan." she says with a small smile of her own, and then they to are heading out the front door and I'm left to finish off the dishes.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Okay, please please please don't kill me. Copper took a HUGE vacation and left me under the supervision of his step-cousin Kitty who, lemme tell you, is flighty as hell and refused to work on anything that Copper had started and made me go off on a complete tangent had me start and finish another story, not to say it wasn't a good story, I actually really liked it but any who, Copper is back from vacation and is now having me update some of my other stories. Either way, I apologize for the incredibly long wait so here's a little Trory for you, this chapter is all Rory/Leigh and Tristan.

Purple-Pebbles: I'm so glad you like the story so much and I'm always happy to have new supporters, I'm not done updating I simply have a muse who likes to start other stories before some are finished.

Astragail: Thank you for the glowing review, they always make it easier to force Copper home from working on his tan with them. And I'm soo glad you think I'm a good writer, thank you!

Curley-Q: I hope this chapter was worth the wait, Rory may be starting to come around.

Jeremy Shane: As always a please to see a review from you, I just hope I can keep you coming back.

PhoebeTheQueenOfDragons: Sorry it wasn't soon, but here is Chapter 9 and I plan on making Copper start working on Chapter 10 tonight.

Gypsyk179: Sorry my updates are so far in between that you forgot about me, but here's another one. As for the Lane story, it will come out soon enough.

EnJoY!

P.S. Sorry for any and all errors, I was just so excited to have another chapter finished that I may not have looked it over as carefully as I should

Leigh

When I get out of the shower the house is as silent as when I got in and all the bedroom doors are open so I look at the clock; 12:00 p.m. Of course, everyone is at their weekly luncheons, leaving me to entertain myself for the next couple of hours. I slowly get dressed, dragging on an old Ramone's t-shirt I'm sure I stole from Jesse and a pair of low rider jeans and pull my dark hair up into a messy bun with a chopstick I'd left in Jason's room forever ago, not worried about anyone seeing my scars. I finally make my way out of the room, intent on turning on the radio and making some fresh coffee, when I reach the end of the hall I notice that the coffee pot is still on and someone is sitting in on the sofa that's facing away from me, possibly reading. Ignoring them for the moment, assuming it's Colin ditching his parents again like he did a couple of weeks ago, I turn into the kitchen to get a mug full of coffee. On my way into the living room I stop at the wall mounted stereo and turn on the radio, keeping it low enough that it wont bother Collin but loud enough that I'm not alone with my thoughts if he doesn't feel like amusing me and then plop down on the other end of the sofa with a sigh before I bother looking at the person sitting next to me and my sigh turns into a grasp. "Hi." I say, my surprise showing clearly in my voice.

Tristan chuckles a little at my reaction. "Hey."

"I didn't know you were still here." I tell him, ducking my head down to avoid eye contact.

"I'm killing time before I head back to my house." He tells me, from the corner of my eye I see him shrug and I glance back up at him. "I actually wanted to ask you a question." He says and I look him in the face again, my surprise turning to confusion nodding my head slightly to tell him to go ahead and ask. "Would it bother you if I stayed here as well?" He asks me and continues before I can say anything. "It's no problem if you say no, it's just that I'm more comfortable here than in my own house and when I would come home for breaks for the last year and a half I spent my time hiding out here, usually with Finn or his parents, so this place became like my haven. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable so please feel free to tell me to go." I smile at his ranting and put my hand up to get him to stop. "I don't have any problem with you staying here as well." I don't know whether I should be offended by his look of shock but I ignore it none the less. "If anyone understands this place being a haven it's me. Besides, it's not my house you didn't even need to ask me." I tell him, looking down at my almost forgotten cup of coffee.

"It seems to me that this house is as much yours as it is the Morgan's." He says, chuckling a little causing me to glance up at him.'

"Why do you say that?" I ask him, again wondering if I should be offended.

"I know how much it takes to make you feel at home somewhere, and it seems to me like you're pretty comfortable calling this place home." He looks at me across the couch as though he's trying to study me and I'm suddenly regretting my decision to put my hair up. If there's anyone I don't want looking at my scarred body it's Tristan.

"What?" I ask him after a couple more seconds, my voice going from cordial to irritated quickly. I don't take being looked at well, I never have, and it's only gotten worse since the last time he'd gotten in trouble for staring at my ears during class.

"Nothing." He says quickly, looking away from me for a second before looking back at me. "Not to upset you or anything, but you look different with you hair that dark."

My hair? Of all the things for him to comment on he says something about my hair? "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I ask him, my voice sounding confused even to my own ears. Why on earth would he say something about my hair.

"I don't know if I've decided yet." He says, glancing back down at his book for a second before looking at me again. "I was kind of fond of your natural color, but that doesn't mean the black looks bad on you. I suppose it will just take some getting used to."

I smile softly at him before taking a sip of my coffee, surprising myself slightly at being able to maintain the eye contact he seems so content to have. "Don't try too hard." I tell him. "I'm thinking about making an appointment and changing it today." I blush slightly at the almost giddy smile that graces his beautiful lips. It really was unfair just how gorgeous this boy was. "Not that I know where to go, what to ask for or even how I'm going to get there. Nobody will be home for a couple of hours and now that I've decided to change it, I kinda wanna do it like, now." I tell him, shrugging a little and drinking more of my coffee.

He suddenly sits up straight closes his book, placing it on the couch, and is standing in front of me with his hand out. "Well lets go then."

I stare up at him uncomprehending. "What?"

"Lets go get your hair done." He says, still offering me his hand even though I'm currently looking at it likes it's something foreign. "I'll call my mom's stylist on the way. She'll do your hair right now, and she's not far." I sit there staring at him like he's grown two heads still not sure I'm understanding what I'm hearing. "Come on, just take my hand and we'll be back before you know it."

With a sigh and what is a huge leap of faith on my part, I place my small hand in his much larger, and surprisingly soft, hand and let him pull me off the couch. After putting on a pair of converse I have sitting near the door and grabbing my purse, I follow him out to his car and let him lead me blindly where ever it is we're going. My sudden complete trust in Tristan is shocking to say the least. I haven't been a very trusting person for a very long time and the fact that he hadn't had to do anything to earn it is confusing me. Why do I trust this boy who two years ago was constantly going back and forth between bane of my existence to a semi-friend. He'd never given me reason to believe he could or even would just help me out, but he'd also never given me a real reason to not. I shake my head trying to clear the confusing thoughts. Not that they were thoughts that bothered me, in fact they were thoughts that hadn't brought me any anguish and those were hard to come by, they were just confusing and not helpful.

I look over at Tristan and watch him as he drives. I'd never thought watching someone drive could be sexy, but watching him shift was kind of hot. Maybe it was because he just looked like he belonged there, like this car was a part of him. I glance around the interior at the black leather seats and the shiny black dash and wonder what kind of car it is he's driving. It's not flashy, like I would have expected from him, but it is filled with luxury almost as if to say "I have money, so I can be comfortable, but I don't have to tell the entire world about it in bright red". I didn't know a car could talk so much. I can see his school books laying across the seat in the back and I idly wonder if we have any classes together, I hadn't made it passed my second hour study hall.

After about five minutes of a comfortable silence where I simply studied Tristan and his car, we pull into a parking lot of what appears to be a very high class salon. "Here we are." Tristan says, putting the car in park and turning it off before looking over at me. "You sure about this?"

I smile at him before answering. "Sure, I kind of miss my natural hair color. I think I might be done rebelling."

"Well then, lets get this done."


End file.
